SIA reveals new A380 cabin layout

Eagle-eyed forum readers who posted details of Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) revamped website (click here for more details) failed to spot that the carrier had inadvertently disclosed details of its A380 new upper deck seating configuration.

As we revealed on businesstraveller.com and businesstravellerasia.com late last year, SIA’s next batch of eight A380s will feature all business class seating on the upper deck. The new seatplan can be seen here.

SIA has still to officially publicise the new layout, but the seatplan confirms that these newer A380s will accommodate 86 business class passengers upstairs. This compares with SIA’s existing super jumbos which seat 60 in business class behind which can be found a separate 88-seat economy class zone. At the same time, the number of economy class seats (which will now be found only on the lower deck) will be cut from 399 to 311.

SIA’s Suites (its brand name for first class) will remain downstairs. So the new A380s will accommodate only 409 passengers in total, just two more than the spacious cabins featured on Korean Airlines’ A380 (see online news January 18).

One point to note with the new business class cabin is that rows 11 and 91 have no windows. Also note that row 96 (at the very back of the cabin) is contained within its own cabin. But, on the other hand, the privacy will be compromised somewhat by row 96 being in the proximity of the toilets and galleys.

Some of our readers who book economy tickets with SIA will be disappointed with this development. Many have told us they prefer to sit upstairs because of the club-like atmosphere and less dense seating (2-4-2) than is found on the lower deck (3-4-3). The good news is that SIA’s original batch of 11 A380s will continue with their existing seating layouts.

The new series of A380s (which will take some time to be delivered) will eventually see service on SIA’s important business routes linking its Changi hub with Europe and North America. Initially, however, the first craft are expected to enter service between Singapore and Sydney in the latter half of June.